Let's make a Shopping Bag for Valentine's Day

I just finished this shopping bag a few days ago, I've done this kind of bags before but this time I took pictures to share with you the tutorial.

 

 

Actually I don't know whether to say Shopping bag or if there is another

name for this type of bag, the fact is that is a bag unlined but where the

interior is neat, to achieve this I used the French seam. It is a bag that

is quick to make, is practical, and we can carry this practical bag in our

handbag.

 

 

There are two ways to do it, either by cutting two fabric rectangles or one.

First you have to determine the final measure of your shopping bag, my

shopping bag measures 13 "wide by 17" in length. If these measures are

appropriate to you, then you can follow the steps that I used in my

tutorial, but I want you to know that with my explanations you can make a

shopping bag with the measure you want.

 

1) Cutting the fabric

 

If we do it with a single rectangle of fabric

a) The width

 

The width of your bag +1"
 For  my shopping bag, my final measure is 13" +1" = 14 "

 

b) The  length

 

the length of your bag, two times + 4"

My measures , 17"+ 17" + 4"= 38"

 Briefly I will cut a piece of fabric of 14 "x 38"

 

 

 

If we do it with two rectangles of fabric

 

a)The width

 

The width of your bag +1"

My final measure, 13" +1" = 14 "

 

b) The  length

The length of your bag + 3"
In my case, 17" + 3"= 20"

I will cut two rectangles of fabric that measure 20" x14"

 

 

2) Ironing the top edge

 

Fold the top edge 1" down, iron, fold again and iron.
Leave as it and move to the next stage.

 

 

3) Sewing ( the French seam)

 

Lay your fabrics wrong sides together  matching raw edges.
Do not forget to open the top edge that we had previously ironing, I just

ironed it for future reference later, when I will do the sewing of the

straps, make sure that all the raw edges matching!!

Pin edges together and sew with 1/4" seam, then trim seam allowance to

1/8", don't cut into your stitches, press.



 

I decided to use my serger

 

 

 

4)Turn inside out

Turn the bag inside out , now  the fabrics will be right sides together,
press and stitch in a 1/4" seam,  you have to enclose the trimmed seam
allowance. Since I decided to use a serger, I have no need to trim the
edges

 

 

I want to share a tip with you , look at this photo, is the Edge Stitching

Foot, this is a foot that I use regularly. This foot has a flange on the

side for guiding the fabric, we just have to adjust the needle position and

we will get perfect seams along the edges of the fabric.In this case I

position it to sew, to 1/4'' from the edge.

 

 

I have to confess that I use this foot  all the time !

 

(Back to our project) 

Turn the bag right side out.

I cut two straps of 21 ", and fold at 3/4" from the edge.

 

 

 

Now the explanation it will be easier with the photos, remember that we had

ironed the top edge twice, ok, now that the french seam is finished, we will

re-fold the top edge twice and secure it with pins.

 

The next pictures will show you , how I put the straps on the top edge:

 

 

I put the straps 3 "from the sides

 

 

Once both straps are fastened to the front and the back, we will sew.

 

While this shopping bag is easy to do, try to write a tutorial for two ways

to do it, it  was a bit difficult for me. I added several photos to help you to

understand, hope I succeeded!

 

These shopping bags were a commission for the deaf center who frequent my

parents, that's why I embroidered the letters of the sign language. They

are red because they are a gift to people who frequent the center, on

valentines day.
I decided to give them a festive touch and made ​​some tags to decorate them.

 

 

I do not want to bore you with more explanations, but I want to share with

you the way I did the tags, here are photos I took , I think it will give

you an idea about the steps that I did.
To begin, I used the corrugated board, which comes in boxes to protect

fragile materials and here you will see the steps...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the other hand ,I'm having fun with my memories scrapbooking software, I

made another photo montage.
Do not forget that the giveaway for this software remains open until

February 13, it is so easy to use and when it's free why not take

advantage?

 

 

The link where you will find the information  for this giveaway is here.

 

 

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial, I tried to do the best I could. If there

are spelling mistakes, I apologize, I also tried to do my best, my first

language is Spanish and I learn English with all of you.
I look forward to your comments.

Have a nice day!

Marisa :)

 

 

I'm linking this project to Freemotion by the River,delicate CONSTRUCTION, One Artsy Mama (Shine on Friday), Trendy Treehouse, Fluster Buster, Petals to Picots, The Chicken Chick, Made by you Monday( Skip To My Lou), Threading My Way , Creating my way to Succes, The Pin Junkie,  and Happy Hour Friday.